This invention relates to an image transfer apparatus and an image transfer method, and particularly, it relates to an image transfer apparatus and an image transfer method for transferring a variety of information such as an image and a character to a recording medium such as a card.
Conventionally, a thermal transfer printing apparatus has been used to record a desired image or a character on a card recording medium such as a credit card, a cash card, a license card or an ID card by thermally transferring with a thermal head via a thermal transfer film. As an example, in Japanese Patent Publication (TOKKAI) No. 09-131930, a printing apparatus using a direct transfer method has been disclosed. The apparatus directly transfers an image and a character to a recording medium via a thermal transfer film. This method has an advantage of attaining a high quality image due to thermal sublimate ink. However, the recording medium needs to have a receptive layer on its printing surface to receive the ink. Therefore, only limited recording medium can be used, or the receptive layer needs to be formed on the surface of the recording medium.
Generally, a card made of a polyvinyl chloride (known as a PVC card) has been widely used as the recording medium that can receive the thermal sublimate ink. However, since the PVC card generates toxic substances when burned, recently it has been tried to switch to a card made of a polyethylene terephthalate (also known as a PET card).
Furthermore, in recent years, a new type of card media such as an IC card, which embeds an IC chip or antenna inside, has been used in a variety of fields. Because of the embedded elements, this type of card has an uneven surface, resulting in a printing problem.
In Japanese Patent Publication (TOKKAI) No. 2000-141727, a printing apparatus using an indirect transfer technology, in which an image is transferred to an intermediate transfer medium once then transferred to a final recording medium, has been disclosed to solve the above problem. According to this method, it is possible to overcome the problems such as limited recording medium related to the receptive layer or the issue of printing on an uneven surface of the recording medium. Furthermore, this method makes it easier to print an image on an entire surface of the card medium as opposed to the direct transfer method. Furthermore, in Japanese Patent Publication (TOKKAI) No. 10-71789, an over-coating apparatus for coating a surface of the card medium with a coating film has been disclosed. The apparatus uses a film having a specific pattern or an image embedded hologram as a coating film to prevent falsification of an information card made by such a printing apparatus as disclosed in the Japanese Patent Publication (TOKKAI) No. 09-131930.
The intermediate film transfer media used in the indirect transfer method or the coating film used in the over-coating apparatus is supplied from a supply portion where the film wound, transported through a transport path, and then wound on a winding portion. A transfer device such as a heat roller is arranged on a transport path, and transfers an image formed on the film transfer medium to the recording medium.
When the image is transferred while transporting the film transfer medium to the winding portion, heat from the heat roller is transmitted to an used area of the film transfer medium, such as an area on the overcoat with no image or an unused portion of the film transfer media. As a result, thermal shrinking causes damage such as wrinkles or degradations, when the transfer to the recording medium is completed. This makes it very difficult to transfer a high quality image to the card medium. If it is tried to discard the damaged portion of the film transfer media to avoid this problem, a running cost increases due to excessive material, resulting in higher manufacturing cost.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image transfer apparatus that can obtain a high quality image while reducing a running cost in the transfer process of the film transfer media.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image transfer apparatus that performs a reliable transfer to the recoding medium and maintain a stable transportation of the transfer medium until the separation after transferring the image. In addition, it is possible to prevent damage caused by contact between the recording medium and the transfer medium in the transport path.
Further, an object of the present invention is to provide an image transfer method that can obtain a high quality image while reducing a running cost in the transfer process of the film transfer media.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.
To achieve the above objects, an image transfer apparatus according to the invention is provided with a transfer media supply portion to supply a film transfer media with an image thereon; a transfer medium winding portion to wind up the film transfer medium; a transfer device to transfer the image formed on the film transfer medium to a recording medium; and a transfer medium transport device to move the film transfer medium between the transfer medium supply portion and the transfer medium winding portion. The transfer device transfers the image on the film transfer medium to the recording medium when the transfer medium transport device moves the film transfer medium toward the transfer medium supply portion.
One end of an image area on the transfer medium corresponding to the recording medium is positioned at a side toward the transfer medium winding portion beyond the transfer means. Also, the transfer means starts to transfer the image to the recording means from the other end of the image area.
Furthermore, a moving device is provided for moving the transfer device between an image transfer position and a retracted position. The moving device holds the transfer device at the image transfer position for a predetermined period of time followed by moving it to the retracted position after the image is completely transferred to the recording medium.
The transfer device may be a heat roller including a heating element.
The transfer media supply portion has an image forming device for forming an image on the transfer medium. According to this invention, the transfer device transfers an image to the recording medium while the transfer medium transport device transports the transfer medium toward the image forming device.
According to another aspect of the invention, an image transfer apparatus is provided with a transfer media supply portion to supply a film transfer media with an image thereon; a transfer medium winding portion to wind up the film transfer medium; a transfer device to transfer the image formed on the film transfer medium to a recording medium; a recording medium transport path to transport the recording medium; and a transfer medium guide member to guide the recording medium to an image transfer position on the transfer device. The transfer medium guide member is disposed between the transfer media supply portion and the transfer device to be capable of moving in a direction away from the recording medium transport path.
The transfer medium guide member includes a guide portion for separating the recording medium with an image transferred by the transfer device from the transfer medium.
When the transfer device transfers the image on the transfer medium to the recording medium, one end of the guide portion is positioned in the recording medium transport path.
Also, an image transfer method according to the invention includes a transport process, in which the film transfer medium with an image is transported to the image transfer position and the recording medium is transported to the image transfer position, and a transfer process for transferring the image formed on the transfer medium to the recording medium at the image transfer position. The image is transferred while the transfer medium is transported in a direction toward a supply portion side opposite to the image transfer position.
Furthermore, the image transfer method includes an image forming process for forming an image on the aforementioned transfer medium. The image is transferred while the transfer medium is transported toward the image forming position opposite to a direction in the transport process after the image forming process and the transport process.
Other objectives and features of the present invention will be explained in a detailed description of preferred embodiment below based upon provided drawings.